Talk To Me
by Graymoon74
Summary: Sara's prints are found all over a murder scene.  Will Grissom be able to figure out why and how?
1. Chapter 1

_**I own nothing of CSI. This fic is before Grissom and Sara have a relationship. It will grow throughout the story.**_

_**Thanks for reading **_

It's late afternoon on a Tuesday. Grissom stands in his quiet office looking over some photo's from a recent murder case. On the film is a woman, laid out on a large green comforter, her teeth can be seen through the gaping hole in her cheek. Another photo shows a long slash mark on her leg going from the top of her thigh down to her knee. It looks deep, angled as if someone meant to cut a peice of her flesh off.

Grissom stares at the photo thoughtfully.

Greg enters Grissoms office, "I have the results from the fingerprints we lifted from the murder scene yesterday."

Grissom looks up from the photo, "And?"

"It doesn't make any sense." Greg says as he moves to the left side of Grissom, "They all turned out to be Sara's prints. Every one of them."

Grissom raises his eyebrow, "What?"

"Swear to God. I ran them five times just to be sure." Greg leans his hip on the table, "Did she not wear gloves at the scene?"

"She always wears gloves." says Grissom as he stares at the results, "Have you shown these to anyone else?"

"Not yet." Greg moves to take the results back, Grissom holds tight to them.

"Let me talk to Sara. I'll see what is going on." Grissom says as he moves toward the door, "I'll get back to you Greg."

An hour later Sara is seated in Grissoms office. She looks flushed from being out in the cold winter air. Her head still covered in a black, wool cap. She smiles at Grissom as she rubs her hands together for warmth.

He is seated behind his desk. His eyes roving her beautiful face, "What did you do this weekend?"

Sara looks confused. She moves closer to his desk, "Is this a personal thing?"

He takes off his glasses, rubbing at his eyes, "No." he sits back, "Did you drink?"

Sara sits up in the chair, gently rubbing at her arm, "Yes. I had a few drinks with Greg on Sunday night. Remember, you told me to take someone along next time I needed a drink." she smiles lightly at him, "Just a friendly thing."

Grissom puts his glasses back on, "And then?"

She shakes her head, "He left. I stayed to have a few more drinks..."

"Why did Greg leave you there?" he is staring at her.

"He got a call. Something to do with his mom." she sits back in the chair.

"Why didn't you call me to come get you?" he asks now as he leans over his desk, "That was our deal, wasn't it?"

"I called a cab." she says quietly, "I didn't want to bother you."

"Next time bother me." he sighs, "Tell me how your prints got all over the recent hotel stabbing scene that you were on yesterday."

Sara shakes her head, "What?"

"You had gloves on, right?" he clasps his hands in front of him on the desk, "Right, Sara?"

"Of course." she moves to look at the results that Grissom is handing her, "That makes no sense."

"Are you sure you left the bar alone?" Grissom says as his fingers lightly touch her fingers, "Totally sure."

She hesitates.


	2. Chapter 2

_**I own nothing of CSI. This fic is before Grissom and Sara have a relationship. It will grow throughout the story.**_

_**Thanks for reading **_

The room is quiet as Sara contemplates her next answer. She can feel the heat of Grissom's stare. She clears her throat.

"There may have been someone." she looks at him, "He was nice."

Grissom raises an eyebrow, "I'm nice, you've never taken me home." he says as he eyes her.

Sara removes the hat from her head. All of a sudden things are getting really heated, "He offered me a lift. It was cheaper than a cab."

Grissom is writing in a pad perched on the edge of his desk, "What did he look like?"

Sara ruffles her hair a bit, her eyes avoiding Grissoms', "You." she rubs some invisible lint off the hat, "Taller."

Grissom pushes the pad up to the top of his desk, now leaning himself back into his chair. He watches Sara as she picks at her hat, her eyebrows weaved into a furrow.

"He seemed okay." she puts the hat on her hand, now rubbing it with the other hand, "I seem to know good men when I see them." she looks at Grissom. His face still emotionless.

"What made you go looking for a drink that night?" he pulls at his slacks as he crosses his left leg over the right, "What were you trying to subdue?"

Sara leans back in her chair, crossing her arms in front of her defensively. She raises an eyebrow, her lip quivering, "Nothing." she lies, biting down on her lip in order to stop it from moving, "Just felt like I could use a drink."

"And what does 'feel like' mean?" he sits forward, "Anger, sadness, loneliness, hurt...?"

She looks at him, her mouth partially open as if to say something, but she keeps quiet. She looks back at her hat.

"What emotion Sara?"

"Rejection." she says softly.

Grissom remains quiet.

Suddenly there is a light knock at the door.

"Come in." Grissom says.

The door opens slowly, "Hey." Catherine says, "Greg tells me you have the fingerprint results."

"Not now, Catherine." he says as he eyes her, "Let me finish with Sara and then I will get around to you and Greg."

"Is everything okay?" she asks as she looks at Sara.

"Fine." Sara says as she offers Catherine a weak smile, "Just going over a few things."

"Alright, I guess I will see you later." she leaves.

Sara turns back to see that Grissom is staring at her.

"So, he took you home?" he pulls the pad back onto the edge of the desk, "Then what?"

"He stopped and bought some more beer. Then we traveled to my house." she shifts uneasily in the chair, "I let him in. I really just needed one more drink."

The dead silence in the room makes Sara so uncomfortable that she almost gets up.

"We sat on my couch, drinking the beers." she rubs at some invisible lint on her arm, "Then I started to feel funny."

"Funny how?"

"Sick and dizzy. Really dizzy." she looks at Grissom, "I thought it was just the beer mixing with the liquor." she shrugs, "That's what I thought."

"What happened next?"

"He said I was looking bad. Told me we should go to the hospital." she looks at Grissom, "The rest is blank."

Grissom stares at her, "Do you think he could have raped you?"

Sara looks at him, her head shaking vigorously back and forth, "No."

Grissom waits.

"No. I woke up in my car, but I felt okay. Just a pain in my head." she shrugs, "I took a few tylenol, showered here and got to work on the case."

"So that crime scene wasn't familiar to you?"

"No." she crosses her arms tighter over her breasts, "Not at all."

Grissom gets up slowly, now coming around his desk. He leans back, seating himself on the edge in order to stare down at Sara, "Did you check yourself for bruises, cuts or blood?"

"Of course I did." she states, "In the shower I looked all over my body. Everything is fine."

He raises his eyebrow, "May I look?"

He stands, now pulling the blind over his door down. Quietly, he pulls a small heater from under his desk, aiming it at Sara. She is immediately transfixed by the glowing coils.

"Sara." she hears Grissoms voice, gentle, but gripping.

She looks at him, slowly getting to her feet. She takes off her coat, her hands settling over her hips as she thinks about what she is about to do.

Grissom waits.

She avoids his eyes as she lifts her thin black shirt over her head.

Grissom walks to the other side of Sara, his gentle hands reaching out for her left arm. He slides his hand over her skin, focusing his eyes on her hands and her nails. Gently he turns the arm over, looking now at her palm, "What's this?"

Sara, who is halfway dizzy from his touch, looks down at the small scratch on her palm, "I cut myself while slicing an apple this morning."

"Fair enough." he says as their eyes meet.

"Your other arm."

She turns and raises her other arm. It is covered in goosebumps.

"Are you still cold?" he asks her as his hand travels over her hand, "I can get a bigger heater."

"It's something else." she says as his hand travels up to her elbow.

"That would be?" he slides his hand across her collar bone, their eyes meet.

"Your touch." she says softly, there lips only moments from each other.

Sara can feel her heart racing in her chest. It leaps into her throat as he kneels down in front of her, his hands pulling her hips in front of his face.

"Turn around." he says softly. She does so, cherishing his warm touch on her back.

Standing up, he gathers her hair up and away from her shoulders.

"None of the places I've touched hurt?" he asks from behind her, his hand now rubbing her scalp.

She opens her eyes, "No. Everything feels good."

Grissom hands Sara her shirt, "Now for your pants."

Sara pulls the shirt on quickly, only slightly happy to get it back on.

Leaning over, she pulls off her black jeans.

Again, Grissom kneels in front of her, "Your legs look good."

She looks down, "Is that a compliment?"

He stays quiet as he turns her around.

She feels his warm breath on the back of her thighs, then he is lifting her feet to check them, "Nothing." he says as he stands, "But I'd still like you to take a rape test."

Sara puts her pants back on, seating herself quickly, she pulls on her socks and shoes, "Grissom," she pauses as he seats himself, "I know how it feels to be raped." she clears her throat, "I wasn't raped."

This bit of information pauses Grissom for a moment, "When?"

Sara gathers her coat, "I have to go." she says quietly as she looks at Grissom, "May I go now?"

He stares at her, "Where to?"

"Home." she says, now putting her hat and coat back on.

"Why don't I take you home this time?" he turns off the heater. Now standing in front of Sara, he zips up her coat for her, "You can gather some of your stuff and come home with me." he pushes her hair behind her ears, gently cupping her face, "I don't want him coming back for you."

Sara stares into his blue eyes, "I don't think he will."

Grissom lets go of her, "He may."

Sara waits, "Catherine and Greg are still waiting for those prints."

"I know." he turns off the light in the office, guiding her toward the break room, "You wait for me. I won't be that long."


	3. Chapter 3

_**I own nothing of CSI. This fic is before Grissom and Sara have a relationship. It will grow throughout the story.**_

_**Thanks for reading **_

Grissom rounds the corner of the hallway just in time to see the look on Catherines face as she studies the result sheet. He stops, his hands in his pockets as he watches her turn to look at him.. She looks confused, then she smiles lightly.

"Is this a little joke you and Greg are pulling?" she smiles, "Nick collected a hair from the scene that was Sara's. Now her fingerprints too?"

Grissom walks into the room, leaning himself back on one of the tables, "It's not a joke."

Catherine loses the smile, her eyes going back to the sheet of paper she is holding, "These prints were everywhere, Grissom." she stares at him, "How the hell did her prints get all over that room?"

Greg comes hurriedly through the door, "I also checked out the skin found under the vic's fingernails." he hands the sheet to Grissom, "Sara's."

"That puts her right there at the scene." says Catherine as she moves to sit down, "Is this what you were talking to her about, Grissom?"

Grissom shrugs, "I was."

Catherine stares off into space for a moment and then looks back at Grissom, "She does have quite the temper."

The room is quiet for a moment as they all reflect on past experiences with Sara.

"She couldn't kill someone." Greg says finally, but his voice sounds weak, "Could she?"

Grissom moves from the table. He finds a chair in the back of the room, now pulling it close to Catherine, "We all know that Sara has a temper." he motions for Greg to come closer, "We also know that she has a terrible past."

Catherine stares at Grissom, "Natalie the 'Minature' killer had a foster past also."

Grissom eyes her darkly, "You certainly aren't going to compare Sara to Natalie."

In the back of Grissom's mind he can hear the little song that Natalie Davis used to sing to herself,

"I've got a pain in my sawdust.  
That's what's the matter with me.

Something is wrong with my little inside.  
I'm just as sick as can be.

Don't let me faint. Someone get me a fan.  
Someone please run for the medicine man.

Everyone hurry as fast as you can,  
'cause I've got a pain in my sawdust."

_(Song found: Transcript by Intrepid, website: kilohoku)_

Catherine shakes her head lightly, her blond hair moving slightly, "I don't know, Grissom. I mean," she pushes the paper back over to Grissom, "What if she's just like her mom?"

Greg shifts uneasily on his feet, "What about her mom?"

Grissom eyes Catherine, "Nothing." he says softly.

Greg shrugs, "There has to be an explaination."

"Yes." Grissom says as he stands, "There does have to be an explaination."

Catherine sighs lightly, slamming her hand down on the table, "I guess I have some hotel personnel to interview." she gets up quickly, "You best find out what happened, Grissom." she says as she pulls her coat on, "Ecklie is gonna be fuming."

"I know," Grissom pushes the chair back over to the back of the room, "he has it out for her."

"How can I be of help?"Greg asks.

"We'll let you know." Catherine and Grissom say together.

Greg waves and quickly leaves the room.

Catherine turns to Grissom, "What did you get out of her?"

Grissom studies Catherine for a moment almost wondering if he should put Sara in her hands. He knows she has had a few run in's with Sara's anger.

"Not much." he answers, "Now go get me some answers from the hotel staff."

He watches her leave.


	4. Chapter 4

_**I own nothing of CSI. This fic is before Grissom and Sara have a relationship. It will grow throughout the story.**_

_**Thanks for reading **_

Grissom watches Sara as she enters his den from the guest room. She looks small, fragile. But her eyes say different as they meet with his.

"The guest room is nice." she says as she seats herself beside him, but not close to him. Immediately she grabs a pillow, placing it inbetween them, "What are you reading?"

"Interesting choice in pajama's." he eyes her attire,"Aren't you cold?"

She looks down at her plaid pajama bottoms and her little white tank top, "I'm bad in plaid." she smiles softly at him.

He raises his eyebrow and shakes his head softly, as a small smile edges it's way to his dry lips, "Your file."

She pushes herself back into the large cushions of the couch, "I really wish you wouldn't read that." she says as she piles another pillow over herself, "Not all of that is true, you know?"

"What parts?" he says as he flips over another page in the folder.

Sara sighs heavily. She gets up, now moving closer to Grissom, "Can I at least see it?"

"It's not anything that you need to see." he says as he closes the folder. He places it on the glass table to the side of the couch, "Sometimes people say bad things when they are angry."

Sara feels a jolt in her system, "Catherine, right?"

Grissom shakes his head, "She's out there right now getting answers to help the case. To help you."

Sara breaths a deep breath in, her eyes roving Grissoms face, "But she thinks I did it, right?"

Grissom takes Sara's injured hand, "You're sure this happened while cutting an apple?" he asks, blatantly changing the subject.

Sara goes to pull her hand away, but Grissom holds it against his other hand.

"Why?" she asks.

"They found your skin under the vic's nails." he studies her face, "How did it get there?"

Sara is quiet.

Grissom gently slides his thumb over her palm and then he slides his warm fingers inbetween her fingers.

She raises her head to look at him, "I have a mark on my breast." she says quietly.

'I have a pain in my saw dust' Grissom hears from somewhere in the back of his head.

"May I?" he watches as Sara blushes lightly.

"We can look at it at the lab, can't we?" she pulls her hand from his hand, "That way we have the vic's fingers there in order to compare."

She gets up, disappearing into his kitchen.

Grissom follows her, "How deep is it?"

Sara pulls a vodka bottle from the freezer, "Not that deep." she pours herself a glass, drinking it down quickly. As soon as she is done she pours another, but this time Grissom is there to pull it away from her lips. He pours it down the drain as Sara takes the bottle and throws it angerly back into the freezer, "I knew I would hate it here!"

She storms off.

Grissom stands in the middle of his kitchen, staring at the empty glass.

Seconds later Sara is behind him, her hand on his shoulder.

He turns to her.

Gently he pulls her too himself, hugging her tightly.


	5. Chapter 5

When Grissom finally releases his tight hold on her, she sighs lightly into his shoulder. He can feel her warm tears against his chest subsiding and her nose is no longer digging into his shoulder blade. Gently he pulls away from her to look at her soaked face, his thumbs pushing away the moisture on her cheeks.

"You okay now?" he asks as her hands grasp onto his wrists as if to hold him there forever, "Why don't we sit on the couch again." he says softly.

"Fine." she lets go of his wrists, "I didn't really need you to hold me any longer anyway."

Grissom follows her to the couch, "I can hold you as long as you need to be held, Sara." he hands her a blanket, "Do you still need it?"

"The blankets fine." she says rather briskly.

For a moment he stands there looking down at her as she cuddles herself deeper into his couch, her eyes never meeting with his. He can see she is angry again, her mouth twisted in a small frown, her fists clenched.

"I'm going to change." he says as he finally breaks from his gaze on her, "I'll be back."

When Grissom enters the room again, he notices how quiet it is suddenly. Going over to Sara, he stands motionless in front of her again, now watching her sleep. He breaks his stare to look at the clock above his fireplace. It is late. Gently he picks Sara up off the couch, she moves, but doesn't wake. He quietly walks with her in his arms to the guest room, carefully laying her down on the bed.

Again, he stares down at her. Now wondering what tomorrow will bring.

The next morning Sara wakes to sunlight in her eyes, she pushes up on the bed just as Grissom enters the room, "I have to get going." he says as he hands her her cell phone, "You keep this handy while I am gone today. If you need me, just call me, no thinking about it, just do it."

Sara raises her eyebrows at him, "I'm not staying here, Grissom." she moves to get off the bed, but Grissom seats himself beside her before she can do so, "You can't keep me here like some sort of prisoner."

"You're on suspension, Sara." he leans in on his leg, "You have to stay here or Brass won't have a choice, but to take you in."

Sara pushes herself back into the headboard, her face stern, "There's no way I'm sitting around here all day. Can't I just go in under the radar?" she stares at Grissom, "Please?"

Grissom lets a small smile crowd the corner's of his lips, "We both know you won't stay under the radar. Especially if your in the lab."

Sara doesn't smile, "I'll leave here right after you leave." she says as she moves to the other side of the bed, "I'll be out of here before you can blink an eye."

Grissom shrugs, getting up he moves toward the door, "Be my guest." he walks out, but turns just as Sara is coming through the doorway, "Just be aware that there are two armed cops outside the door."

He leaves.

Sara goes into the kitchen. She pulls a container of fruit out of the refrigerator, a note afixed to the top. 'ENJOY' is all that is written on it. She rolls her eyes as she begins to eat the fruit, the juices from the strawberry dripping down her chin. The fruit is delicious. She savours the taste, smiling lightly as she remembers her good friend vodka is still in the freezer. Quickly she turns, pulling the freezer door open. She pulls out the vodka bottle, a note dropping from it to the floor. Grasping the bottle in frustration, she picks up the sticky note. 'WATER' is what it reads.

"Damn." she says quietly, trying very hard to keep her anger in check.

An hour later, Sara, dressed in her usual black jeans and a 'I hate the 80's' sequined top, exits Grissoms home. She steps out onto the front steps, pulling on her hat and coat.

The two cops look up at her from their place at the bottom of the steps. Both are smoking cigerattes, their posture relaxed as they lean on the railing on both sides of the steps.

The heavier guy of the two smiles at Sara, "Where you off to, Miss See-dell?"

"Sigh-dill..." she says slowly, pronouncing each syllable, "Like suicide."

The other cop laughs, "You can't leave here." he says now stubbing out his cigarette.

Sara smiles as she tucks her hair under her cap, "Yeah I can." she says, giving them a hard, stern smile.

Both cops now move closer together, they instinctively lower their hands to their guns.

"You gonna shot me?" she asks as she eyes their guns, "Huh?"

"Grissom said you'd be a handful." says the heavy cop, "We can't let you leave here, Miss Sidel." he says it correct this time.

"Very good." she says at the sound of her name, "You listen well." she moves down three of the steps so that now she is almost face to face with them, "Am I gonna have to make you move?"

"Call Grissom." the heavy cop says to the other cop, "Right now." he steps up to Sara, "Get back in the house, mame."

Sara steps back, now leaning herself against the railing, "What are you two getting out of standing around here, watching after me?"

The heavy cop steps back down to the bottom step, "Just helping out a friend."

Sara laughs lightly, shaking her head, "He paying you with cigarettes?" she steps down closer to them again, a small, flirty smile on her lips, "I can get you more cigarettes."

The other cop is pulling his cell phone open, but he stops when he see's Sara is flirting, "Grissom didn't mention how cute you are."

She smiles flatly, "Yeah," she steps down another step, "all us little girls are just so _dern_ cute."

Just as she goes to step down in front of them, both cops grab her shoulders and hold her tightly to her place.

She can feel their thick fingers digging into her shoulders, "Obviously he didn't tell you exactly what kind of a handful I am." and then, to both of the cops surprise, she knees the heavy cop. He immediately tucks himself down in pain. Turning, she slams her palm up to the other cops nose, causing him to step back just enough for her to run between them.

In seconds she is in the cops car, wildly searching for keys. She finds them in the glove compartment just as the heavy cop reaches the window of the car.

Turning the car on, she smiles up at the cop, waving to him as she speeds out of the parking lot.


	6. Chapter 6

Grissom sits in the lab, all the evidence against Sara laid out in front of him. He sighs lightly as he grabs his ringing cell phone out of his pants, "Grissom." he says, expecting to hear Sara's voice. Instead, he hears a male voice.

"How did a hundred and fifteen pound woman sidestep you two?" he says as he leans back in the chair he is seated in, "Are you kidding me?"

Grissom listens, soon appologizing when he hears what Sara did to them.

"She's at a bar?" he asks quietly in response to their statement, gently rubbing his head, "Alright, I'll be out there in about half an hour."

Grissom goes about writing down the directions for the bar. Soon he is on his way out the door.

At six o'colk Grissom arrives at the 'Flying Duke' bar. He parks, quickly getting out, he moves toward his two cop buddies.

"I'm really sorry about her behavior." he says as both his friends shrug it off, "I owe you big time."

"She's all yours." says the heavy cop, "Been in there for about an hour now." they get into the car.

"Hey," Grissom says as they roll down their window, "thanks for keeping this quiet."

"No problem." says the other cop, "You do owe us." they leave the parking lot.

Grissom turns toward the building. It is an older structure, with a sort of wood cabin look to it. The sign above the door is lit in purple, cursive letters spelling out 'Flying Duke'.

Grissom enters the front door, his mind only on Sara.

He see's her sitting up at the bar, a beer bottle in her grasp, her body leaned into the bar top in front of her. He also notices that her jeans are pulling low in the back, showing a bright pair of pink thong panties and a good bit of pale flesh.

He quickly goes over to her, his hand pulling the back of her shirt down in order to cover her peek-a-boo underwear.

Sara turns so suddenly, that she falls off the stool, her hand flying up and smacking Grissom in the face.

He catches her, gently pushing her back up to the cushioned seat.

"Sorry." she says, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, "I thought you were that guy again."

Grissom's eyes get narrow, "What guy?" he looks around to see who may be watching her.

"Some jerk came over and put his hand down the back of my pants." she raises her beer to Grissom, "Want one?"

"What are you doing here, Sara?" he asks as he pulls up a stool next to her, his body leaned in close to her body for her protection.

"My job." she takes another swig of her beer, "I'm going to catch this guy."

"Is that why you are advertising half your ass to every guy in this place?" he sounds angry.

Sara looks at him, somewhat amazed at the fever in his voice, "I guess it worked on you." she says with a small smile on her lips, "Oh," she says as the smile fades from her lips, "I get it now." she takes another long drink of the cold beer, "Now I'm a sex maniac too."

"Why are you getting angry?" he asks, his eyes still looking around at the many men who seem to be hovering like vultures, "How many beers have you had now?"

She looks away from him, "If you stay here I won't be able to catch him." she says as she holds up her finger to tell the bartender she needs another beer, "He'll think I am with you."

"You are with me." Grissom says quietly as he watches her pop the top off the beer, "That beer isn't going to solve anything, Sara." he says softly, his eyes roving her beautiful face.

"It sure makes things feel better." she says as she peels the label off, "What makes you feel better, Grissom?" she questions as she turns her head to look at him again, "Watching over me like I am some sort of child?"

"You know that is not what I am doing." he says as he answers his cell phone. He slides his warm hand over Sara's, "I've got to take this. Meet me outside in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later Sara exits the bar, her coat wrapped around her, her hat lopsided on her head. She ignores Grissom as she walks slowly over to his car. She stands there with her hand on the door handle, waiting to get inside.

He comes over and opens the door for her, "You feeling okay?"

"Fine." she says dryly as she plops her small form into his passenger seat, "I need heat." she says as Grissom closes her door.

He gets in, putting the heater on high as soon as he starts the car, "I don't want you coming here, by yourself, ever again."

Sara is laid back in the seat, her eyes closed, "Why do I feel like a naughty teenagaer?"

"Maybe because you are acting like one." he says quietly and then adds, "Put your seatbelt on."

She pulls the seatbelt across her, gently securing it in place, "I'm sorry about your cop friends." she says as she looks at Grissoms' somber face, "But, " she says, pulling her coat and shirt aside in order to look at her shoulder, "they left bruises on me." she eyes him, his gaze drifting to her exposed shoulder, "I don't like to be manhandled."

"I know." Grissom says softly as he leans down to kiss the bruised skin, "Does that make it better?"

Again, for the second time that day, Sara is taken aback, "Did you just kiss my shoulder?" she finds herself asking, not sure if the alcohol is really getting to her or not.

"Perfectly natural." he says as he pulls out onto the road, "My mom always kissed my bruises away."

Sara is confused and it shows in her face, "So if Catherine got a bruise, you would do the same for her?"

Grissom ignores this question, "Let's say we talk about mishandlings."

Sara immediately feels her stomach cramp up, "What do you mean?"

They stop at a red light, Grissom turning to look at her, "I'm taking you in for the rape kit."

"No your not." she says quickly, her stomach tightening even more, "I told you, I wasn't raped."

"You told me," he turns down the heat on the heater, "you weren't coherent." he raises an eyebrow at her, "Anything could have happened, Sara."

She sits up straighter, her arms crossed tightly against her chest, "That didn't happen." she says faintly.

Grissom studies her, "What are you comparing it to?"

"Drive." she says as she lifts her hand to point at the light, "It's green."

They drive in silence.

Finally, Sara looks at Grissom, "I'm comparing it to my own rape." she says softly, her eyes studying Grissom, "I was young. Real young when it happened."

Grissom looks at her, showing his concern for her in his eyes.

"He was my math teacher. He would purposely fail me on all my tests so I would have to stay after school and get help from him." her voice is low, scratchy, "It happened one day when he slid his hand up my skirt." she glances at Grissom, his eyes are on the road, "It actually hurt a lot, I mean, I was young and..."

"Did you tell anyone?" Grissom says as they pull into the hospital parking lot. He shuts off the engine, his only concern now being Sara, "Your mom, your dad?"

Sara, a tear forming in her eye, looks at Grissom, "My foster mother was too busy drinking." she shrugs as the tear meets her cheek, "And my foster father was too busy working."

Grissom reaches over and wipes her cheek, "Let's get you inside."

Everything goes quickly enough, but Sara still feels violated. When she comes out of the small room she had been examined in, she looks haunted, lost.

Grissom puts his arm around her small shoulders and leads her out into the night.


	7. Chapter 7

Grissoms phone rings as he is driving Sara back to his home. He picks it up out of his drink holder, "Grissom." he says.

Sara looks at him as he listens to the caller.

"I don't think she's up for that tonight." he says as he eyes her.

A few moments later he hangs up.

"I'm sorry honey." he says as he plops the phone back in the drink holder, "I have to take you in for questioning."

Sara shrugs, "I'm fine." she says rather hollowy, "Bring it on." she gives Grissom a tight smile.

They arrive at the lab, Grissom parking in front of the building. He turns off the ignition, "Ecklie's going to be in there with us."

Sara sits there staring out the window, "Well," she says, now getting out of the car, "it's been a bad day, I guess I can now upgrade that to worse day."

The interrogation room is cold and silent as Sara walks in. She immediately tenses upon seeing Ecklie seated beside Brass at the table a look of quiet determination on his face.

"How are you, Sara?" Brass asks as Sara seats herself in front of him, "You hanging in?"

"I'm fine." she says as she moves her chair closer to the table.

Grissom looks at her and then at Ecklie as he goes to seat himself. He's getting worried that Sara's using the word 'fine' too much. Whenever she uses that word, she uses it blankly, with a little force to her voice that makes it, to the untrained ear, sound okay.

"I'll start." Ecklie says as he opens the notebook in front of him, "Have a nice time at the bar tonight?"

Sara huddles lower in her coat, "Just doing my job." she says.

"Your job is suspended right now." he says shrilly, "And Grissoms is going to be suspended if he doesn't keep a better eye on you."

"I'd like to see you do that." Grissom says softly.

"I bet you would." Ecklie says, his lip in a sneer, "Then you and Miss bright pink panties here can play house all you want."

"I think that was a bit out of line." Grissom says as he leans in on the table, "Whose following her?"

"One of my people." Ecklie says.

"Alright." Brass says quickly, "Let's not get hostile." he looks at Sara, "I just have a few questions, Sara."

Both Ecklie and Grissom sit back, still staring at each other. Ecklie looks vicious, Grissom blank.

"We uh..." Brass says as he opens a folder in front of him, "had a look around your apartment."

Sara shrugs, "And?"

"Well," he puts a picture in front of her of the beer bottles, "no fingerprints but your own."

"On all the bottles?" she asks, her thin, pale fingers pulling the pictures closer to her, "I know I saw him drink."

"Greg couldn't find any other prints." Brass says.

Sara shakes her head, "I can't believe this."

"We also found a used condom." he says as he taps the table with his pen.

"I didn't have sex with him." she says as her eyes dart to Ecklie and then over to Grissom, "I swear I didn't."

Grissom raises his eyebrow and tilts his head slightly, "But that doesn't mean that he didn't have sex with you." he says this as softly as possible.

Sara moves uncomfortably in her chair, "I told you," she says as she looks down at her hands, "I didn't feel like I was raped."

"You weren't conscious, so it probably was pretty easy for him to do." Grissom says as he eyes Brass, "We just got a rape test done, so we'll know soon enough."

"The condom," Brass continues, "was also just your DNA."

Sara shakes her head slowly, "So maybe," she sits up straighter, pushing the photo's back over to Brass, "I raped myself."

"Here's what I think happened." Ecklie says as Grissom eyes him darkly, "You were drunk. You got a cab home, but you forgot where you live so the cabbie took you to a hotel. He helped you inside, got you a room. Some time in the night you got pissed off at the maid cleaning the room next to yours, went in and killed her."

Sara slaps her bare hand on the table, "I didn't kill anyone." she says hotly.

"Your mom did." Ecklie says rather softly, a dark glint to his eyes, "Maybe your just like her." he raises his eyebrows as if to challenge her, "Good with a knife."

Sara pushes herself away from the table, kicking her chair out of her way as she makes a move toward Ecklie.

Grissom stops her, "Calm down." he says as he holds her back.

"That's what I mean." Ecklie says as he straightens his tie, "That's what I mean, Brass. You saw that. Your my witness."

"That was way out of line, Ecklie." Brass says as he watches Sara shaking against Grissoms hold, "Let's not make anymore accusations." he looks at Ecklie, "Let's keep this civil."

Grissoms still grasping Sara by her shoulders, "Your not like your mother." he says softly to her, "Sara?"

She looks from Ecklie to him.

"Your not like her." he says again.

"I'm fine now." she says as she stares into Grissoms eyes, "I'm fine."

Grissom lets go of her, watching her seat herself again.

He sits back down, his eyes now on Ecklie, "Do that again and I'm taking her home."

Ecklie smiles a sharp grin, "Just proving a point." he says, now writing in his notebook, "Your little firecracker has a very short wick."

"You okay Sara?" Brass asks now.

Her eyes come to meet with his, "Yeah."

"Alright, so..." Brass puts more photos on the table in front of Sara, "these are from the hotel."

"God." Sara says quietly as she stares down at the woman in the photo, "I didn't," her voice sounds shaky, "I didn't do that." she looks at Grissom, tears edging her eyes, "I couldn't have done that."

"I know honey." Grissom says quietly.

"No you don't know." Ecklie says as he eyes Sara, "Your prints were all over the knife we found."

"Was a rape test done on her?" Sara asks quickly.

"Yes." Grissom says, "It was negative."

Half an hour later, as Sara is retelling her story of what happened that Sunday night, there is a light knock at the door.

Catherine peeks her head into the room, "Can I see you for a second?" she asks Grissom.

"Sure." he says as Sara continues her story.

Out in the hallway, Catherine waits, "We got the rape kit back on Sara."

"And?" Grissom says as he takes the sheet offered him.

"Brusing on her inner thighs among other places." Catherine crosses her arms over her chest, "She was assalted."

Grissom stands there staring down at the results.

"She also has a lot of scarring inside." Catherine says softly as she raises her eyebrows, "Doctor said those scars happened when she was real young."

Grissom eyes her, "How young?"

"Around eleven or so." Catherine shakes her head softly, " 'Torn up pretty good' is what the doctor said."

"Thanks." Grissom says as he watches Catherine leave.

He sighs lightly as he opens the door to go back in the room.

"That's all I remember." Sara is saying as Grissom enters. Her eyes immediately meet with his eyes.

He looks at Brass, "The results from the test." he says as he hands the paper to Brass.

"I think it's time you took Sara home." Brass says after looking over the sheet.

"I agree." Grissom says quietly.

Sara looks at Grissom, "It's negative, right?"

Ecklie takes the paper from Brass, "Positive." he says, "But that doesn't take away from the fact that your prints were all over the crime scene." he pushes the paper toward Sara, but Grissom intervenes and pushes it back over to Brass.

Sara gets up, heading toward the door.

"I'm giving it till Friday." Ecklie say, "Then she is out of here."

"Fine." Grissom says as he opens the door for Sara.

"I look forward to seeing you behind bars, Sara." Ecklie says as she is walking out the door.

She turns, but Grissom gently guides her from the room and out into the night.


	8. Knifemare Be Gone

It is far darker than she had imagined it would be and truly further out than it should have been. She grasps for the rope, but something heavy is weighing on the other end. Who is watching her? She can't see them, but she knows that they are on the other side of the wall, just waiting to pull her over it.

"Dad?" she questions, but only silence meets her voiced words.

Something else is in the darkness as well. Something or someone is closing in on her. And now she can feel the knife slashing at her.

It is coming down on her, but the wall protects her. From beyond the wall she can hear it slicing the air, sharp and heavy.

"Dad?" she says again.

Wet. She is suddenly soaked to the bone, her hair pasted to her face, her body shivering.

Is it raining?

She looks up, but someone blocks her view.

Someone is watching from atop the wall, "Dad?"

Grissom draws Sara up into his lap, her arms thrashing at him, her head drenched in sweat. She pushes at his face, her hand nearly gouging out his eye as she struggles against whatever is in her nightmare.

"Stop!" she screams as tears fall from her eyes, "Stay on the wall."

Grissom uses all his strength to finally pin her to the bed, her hands no longer scratching and poking at him, "Sara." he says to her, trying not to scare her anymore than she is, "Wake up."

She screams so hard and loud that Grissom is sure she will wake the neighbors and then she starts to thrash about under him again.

"Wake up." Grissom says as he seats himself on her legs, "Sara," he says loudly, "wake up!"

She stops suddenly, her eyes popping open, her stare blank for a moment.

Grissom moves himself beside her as he pulls her to sit up, "Sara." he says quietly as she stares forward, her hair sticky with sweat against her pale skin, "Sara." he says again, his hand sliding up and down the cold flesh of her bare arm.

She closes her eyes, shaking her head now, "They never go away."

She gets up quietly, closing herself in the bathroom.

When she comes out, Grissom is no longer in the room. She looks at the clock on the nightstand and sighs at how early in the morning it is. She also hates the fact that she woke Grissom. She was hoping that just being in his home with him would chase the demons out of her sleep, but that obviously wasn't the case at all. The monsters still followed no matter where she went or who she was with.

She exits the guest room to find that Grissom is in his bedroom, the soft glow of a nightstand lamp illuminating the darkness of the room. She stiffens when she glances in, he is seated on the edge of the bed, seemingly waiting on her.

"Come in." he says to her.

She walks into the room, extremely hesitant to walk as far as his bed, "I'm so sorry, Griss..."

His brow furrows slightly at her appology, "No." he says as he watches her, "Don't appologize."

She takes in the fact that his room is very cozy, surrounded by shelves upon shelves of leather bond books and parchments of some sort scattered here and there. She takes one in hand, gently opening it, "Poetry?" she asks lightly, her lips suppressing a pleased smile, "Are you a romantic, Grissom?"

When he doesn't answer she immediately feels guilty again about her behavior, "I really am sorry."

"Maybe you should sleep with me." he says as she places the parchment back on the desk, "Just for tonight."

The whole statement doesn't register in her mind right away, in fact, she looks at Grissom, puzzlement drenching her features, "What?"

"I want you to sleep with me." he says softly, his hands fluffing the pillow on the right side of the bed, "I think it will help with your nightmares."

Sara hesitates, her toes digging into the carpet at her feet, "I'll just wake up screaming again." she says as she watches him click on the lamp on the nightstand, "You need your sleep Grissom."

He stands and walks over to her, "Get in my bed." is all he says as he shuts the bedroom door.

Sara breathes him in as he passes behind her, his shoulder brushing past her back. She shudders lightly just from that tiny touch.

Still, unmovable, she stands there in the middle of his bedroom, her legs unable to move her body.

Grissom pulls down the covers so that now she can see a crisp, clean sheet, "Sara..." he says softly as he turns off his lamp on his side of the bed, "please."

She moves then, hardly walking, more like tip toeing over to her side, "Nice sheets." she says as she stands beside the bed, her hands fluffing the pillow again, "You're sure about this?"

He is perched on his right elbow, holding up the comforter with his left hand, "Get in."

She breathes a sigh, taking in the fact that the room smells of vanilla, "Your room smells like my shampoo." she says as she crawls onto the bed.

She kneels there for a moment, looking down at Grissom as he waits, "I'm sorry if I ever..."

"Get under the covers, Sara." he says quietly.

Sara lays herself down facing away from him on her side. He pulls the comforter up over her body.

Then, causing Sara almost to moan with desire, he reaches over her, his chest warm and hard against her shoulder, he turns off her light.

"Good night." he says to her, his warm breath sliding past her ear.

The darkness is quiet as Sara closes her eyes, but she can't keep them shut. Just knowing that Grissom is stretched out beside her on the bed is reason enough to keep her awake.

She snuggles deeper into the covers, aware of his gentle breathing.

"Grissom." she whispers, her eyes nervously roving the dark air in front of her.

"Sara." he says as quietly.

Sara closes her eyes, just feeling so comforted by the way her name falls from his lips.

But, half an hour later, she is thrashing against the sheets, the comforter flying from her body, tangled in her frantic feet.

She's running. Someone's behind her.

She can hear the knife hitting the air just moments from her back.

Then, something else.

Something strong.

Warm.

Her eyes flutter open.

She can feel Grissoms warm words on her shoulder, "It's okay." he is saying softly.

She raises her head to turn to look at him, but his strong arm presses her back to the sheets.

She lays there, her eyes staring out at the alarm clock that reads that it is way too early to be waking Grissom again.

"Relax." he says as he gently presses his chest against her back, "Just relax, Sara."

She breathes in, focusing on his warm breath still on her shoulder and the tightness in his grasp.

She tries to remember the last time she had a man pressed against her in any way that wasn't sexual.

A shudder runs through her body as he grasps her hand, entertwining his fingers with her own, his other arm snaking under her body so he can bring her in even closer, "Are you feeling any better?"

"Safe." she says quietly as she brings his hand closer to her chest, "Really safe."

Letting out a dizzy, dreamy sigh, Sara falls asleep.


	9. Something Blonde, Something Blue

Sara wakes the next morning feeling more alive than ever. Her body feeling rejuvenated and ready for the day. She also feels a void behind her on the bed. She turns over, a bit saddened to see that Grissom isn't there lying next to her. But the sadness turns to shock when she sees the time on the alarm clock on his side of the bed.

"Two in the afternoon?" she says as she quickly swings her thin legs off the bed, "Grissom." she calls as she exits the room. She suddenly feels panicked, lost. For a moment she grabs the wall next to her for support. She has to calm down. What the hell were her nightmares turning her into? A helpless child?

Finally, feeling a bit more in control, she enters his den area. Quickly pausing upon seeing Grissom at his small kitchen table, a blonde sitting next to him. They seem to be deep in conversation, but Grissom lifts his head to look in her direction.

"Sara." Grissom says as he gets up, slowly approaching her, "I'd like you to meet a friend of mine."

Sara hesitates, wanting very badly to just go back to bed. Why was this friend here now? What did this tall, blonde who was leaning in a bit too close to him at the table, want?

She watches as the woman stands and comes to greet her with an outstretched hand, "I'm Alice." she says with a alarmingly bright smile.

Sara shakes her hand, but pulls away quickly, burying her hands now in the pockets of her flannel pjs.

"Alice is a psychiatrist." Grissom says as he gently rubs Sara's back, "I think she can help you while I am away at work."

Sara almost gasps, but hides it quickly behind a tight smile, "I am not talking to someone I don't even know." she says as she looks at Grissom, her mind memorizing every stoke of his fingers on her spine, "Why can't I just talk to you later?"

"Because, Sara, I won't be home till late." he smiles a little, "You'll be fine with her."

"Maybe we can have some lunch.." Alice says as Sara eyes her darkly.

"Do it for me?" he asks very softly, almost as if he doesn't want the other woman to hear, "Please?"

Sara looks at him, realizing that she at least owes him some peace of mind, "Fine." she says as she moves past the woman who stands in front of her, "But I won't enjoy it."

* * *

Grissom enters the crime scene, quietly placing his kit down next to the dead body. He looks up as Catherine comes over. 

"The bad news is we have another dead body, but the good news is that this scene sure does look like the scene involving Sara's prints." she smiles, now pointing down at the body, "Dead maid. Prints all over the place. The rooms have a connecting door. I have a feeling this is the same person who murdered the other maid."

"Not Sara." he says as he looks closer at the body near his feet, "Looks like she was strangled with something."

"Yeah. That is the only difference I have seen so far." Catherine says now squatting down next to Grissom, "How is Sara?"

"Good." he roves his flashlight up and down the maid, "I left her with Alice."

Catherine sighs lightly, letting out a pinched laugh, "Alice from your college days?"

"Yes." he pointedly looks at her, "I think she can help."

"You left Sara, a woman who is completely and hopelessly in love with you, with Alice, a woman who used to be in love with you?" she places her hand on his shoulder causing him to look at her, "Are you that inpossibly numb?"

"First of all..." Grissom says as he opens his kit, "Sara isn't in love with me. She just has some sort of weird infactuation for an old guy. Second of all, Alice and I are just friends. Our relationship was never that solid. And third of all..." he smiles at Catherine as he stands, "it really isn't your business."

"You're breaking Sara's heart, Griss." Catherine flicks some of her wavy hair from her eye, "Just be aware of that."

* * *

"So, how do you know Gil?" Sara asks as the two women are seated eating salads. Sara is still trying to get her mind off of the feelings that Grissoms hand massaging her back had brought about. Why did he always have to touch her? It would be so much easier if he wouldn't use those hands so well. 

She could remember her father's hands. Not at all like Grissoms. Different in that they always caused harm, not soothed it away.

Alice smiles, her eyes becoming vacant, "We dated."

Sara bites her tongue, the taste of cooper filling her mouth, "How long?"

"Forever ago." Alice says softly, her full lips again smiling lightly, "He's been on my mind lately. I couldn't believe that he called me."

_He's been on my mind too_, Sara wants to say. How could he not be on her mind? Sometimes she wondered if it were healthy to think about someone as much as she thought about him.

"So, you want to get back together with him?" Sara is trying very hard not to let her voice quiver or sound angry.

"Messy divorce makes you start thinking about things in the past that you shouldn't have left behind."

"Right." Sara wipes some dressing from her lips, "How long did you date?"

Alice smiles, "You sure are interested in Grissoms private life." she pats Sara's hands lightly, "It was only a few years."

_Great_, she thinks.

Alice pushes her empty plate forward, "Let's talk about what is bothering you, Sara."

Sara smiles faintly, her eyes still on Alice's empty salad plate, "I'm wanted in a murder."

"Grissom told me." Alice's voice is quiet, her sparkly eyes roving Saras face, "He also told me you have trouble with alcohol and nightmares."

Sara chokes a laugh, "How nice." she gets up, now plopping herself on the couch, "What else did he tell you?"

"Nothing more. Anything else is up to you." Alice joins her on the couch, "But, if I may say so without alarming you, I feel that maybe you have feelings for him." she crosses her long, tan legs, "Could I be right about that?"

Sara looks at her, but drops her eyes as soon as Alice starts looking deeper, "No." she crosses her arms over her chest, "He's my boss, that is all."

* * *

That evening, Grissom enters Gregs DNA lab for the results from the fingerprints, hair and blood found at the scene. 

Greg smiles widely, "Exactly like Sara's case. The DNA all belongs to one woman. A teacher. She works over at Deal Elementary School. Catherine has all that information." he again smiles, "This is good news, right? This gets Sara off the hook, right?"

"Hopefully." Grissom says quietly and then leaves.

He meets up with Catherine who is smiling also, "Here's what we have so far." she hands Grissom a thick folder, "I'm sure you talked to Greg and he told you all about the DNA. Well, it belongs to Tonya Tailor. She's a teacher. She's also approximately the exact height and weight of Sara."

"Easily movable around the hotel room." Grissom says thoughtfully.

"Yeap." she chirps, "She's in with Brass right now."

They go into the interrogation room, both of them looking toward the tall, brunette seated in front of Brass. She looks nervous, figgity.

"So, you went out celebrating with some co-workers?" Brass says as Grissom and Catherine seat themselves.

"I know, why is a Elementary School teacher out on a school night having drinks in a bar?" she laughs nervously, "It wasn't my idea. They told me it was going to be just a dinner celebration, but we ended up at that bar."

"You didn't drive?"

"Oh no. I left my car at work. I wasn't planning on drinking." she looks over at Grissom and then at Catherine,"I only had one beer."

"What happened after the beer?" Brass asks as he drums his stubby fingers on the folder in front of him, "Do you remember?"

"I remember sitting alone, because my friends were all dancing. I just didn't feel like dancing. I remember a man with dark glasses asking me to dance, but I said no. Then he asked if he could buy me another beer. I know I said no, but I think he did order me one." she looks thoughtful, "I just remember feeling really drunk all of a sudden."

"What had happened before this feeling?" Brass scribbles something down on the pad in front of him.

"I had been drinking my water." she smiles nervously, "The next thing I know, I'm waking up in my car in the school parking lot."

Brass looks over at Grissom, "Just like Sara."

"Miss Tailor," Grissom approaches her, "may I see your watch."

She takes off the watch, "You could almost keep it. I hate the band, it's always pinching my skin."

Grissom smiles softly, "I bet it is." he looks over at Brass, "Hopefully it got a pinch of our killer."

* * *

At eleven o'colk, Sara exits the small guest bathroom, relieved that Alice is finally gone from the house. She has felt all day like she was under attack, but now she feels relaxed and happier. She hadn't told the woman much, but for some reason, it had actually sort of help. 

She drops herself onto the couch, thankful that she is now alone. Around her the room is totally silent, except for the ticking of a small mahogany clock sitting on the fireplace mantle.

She is feeling worn out now. Knowing that it really isn't because she talked so much, but just the fact that throughout the whole day, she had been constantly worried about Grissom getting back together with the blonde.

She rolls her eyes at herself, her lids suddenly feeling very heavy. She doesn't want to miss Grissom coming home, but she can hardly keep her eyes from closing now.

Just as she begins to finally let herself rest, she hears the front door open behind her.

She sits up quickly, her eyes darting to Grissom as he enters the house.

He smiles lightly at her, now taking off his coat, "You okay?"

She wonders if Alice had called him to discuss her findings about her. She wonders if he now knows that she was questioning Alice all about him.

"Fine." she trys to smile, but it comes off as a quiver, "How was work?"

"Good." he says as he walks over to her, seating himself on the edge of the couch, "We got a break in your case."

Sara breathes him in, her senses awakened by the touch of his warm knee against her own.

She leans back into the couch as Grissom eyes her thoughtfully, "How was your session?"

Sara tucks her hair behind her ears, giving Grissom a small smile, "It was okay."

He shakes his head, offering her a sympathetic smile, "Sorry I didn't warn you." he leans in on his knees, his eyes still on Sara, "I was worried." he reaches over and squeezes her hand, "She wasn't that bad, huh?"

"Nope." she gazes down at his hand that is still clenching her own, "So, what was the break in the case?"

He pulls his hand away, looking at the clock on the mantle, "It's late." he says, "Maybe we should just talk about this tomorrow."

"I need to know." she says as she absent-mindedly grabs for his fingers, "Please."

He looks down at his hand now clasped tightly in her hand, "Okay." he sits back a bit, his body gently easing into the couch next to Sara, "We have a body in a hotel room once again. It's a maid." he slides his warm thumb over the top of Sara's hand, "She was strangled."

"That is different." Sara says, still cherishing the touch of his skin against her own, "My maid was stabbed."

"I know." he clears his throat, "It seems to be the only difference in the two cases. We found all types of DNA, but it was all linked to only one woman, just as yours was. We also, " he smiles at her, "found some kind of rubber in the band of her watch."

"Maybe a piece of the killer." she says thoughtfully.

The room is silent for a moment.

"How long is Alice going to be here?" she finds herself asking.

She feels Grissoms hand slide away from hers as he gets up from the couch, "Few days." he says, "I thought she could come back over here tomorrow."

Sara gets off the couch also, "I'd rather her not."

Grissom turns to look at her as he walks toward the kitchen, "Why?"

She brushes past him, "I just..."

He walks over to her as she fills a glass with water, "I thought you liked her."

Sara eyes him as he leans himself against the counter beside her, "It's just uncomfortable."

He stares at her, "What's uncomfortable?"

She shrugs, the glass still held tightly in her hand as she turns to lean against the sink, "She's a stranger to me, Grissom." she takes a sip of water, "It's just weird."

Grissom watches her for a second, "It makes me feel better."

Sara looks at him, her eyes studying his face for a moment. That is what she wants, right? She wants him to be happy, not herself. Who really cares about anything else when you have a man like him around.

"Alright." she says finally as she puts her empty glass in the sink, "I'll play nice."

She leaves the kitchen, silently wondering if she will be sleeping with him again or if she will be back in the guest room by herself.

As she enters the guest bedroom she hears Grissoms voice, "You think you'll be okay tonight?"

She pauses in the room and turns to him, "I don't know." she says as she turns on the light.

"Well," he says, "I'm going to take a shower. If you want to sleep in my bed," he moves toward his room, "be my guest."

He disappears into his room and moments later she hears the shower water running. She stands there contemplating what she should do. It really isn't a tough choice, but it is a delicate matter to her.

She stares at the entrance to his bedroom as if it is a black hole that will swallow her alive if entered.

Finally, as if she is moving on a small, dreamy cloud, she enters.

She finds herself standing next to the bed, her eyes staring at his pillow, wondering what it smells like. Probably his shampoo, maybe a bit of sweat and a small waft of aftershave. She desperately wants to crawl across the sheets and bury her nose in the pillow case.

Suddenly, and not without a slight jump from her, she feels his hand on her back, "What are you doing?" he pulls the sheet down for her, "Is this a hard decision for you?"

God he smells good. Sara can hardly resist taking in a long breath of him, hoping he doesn't notice, "A little." she says as his hand drops from her back.

She watches him go around to his side, now setting his alarm clock, his back to her, "Is this uncomfortable for you too?"

She clears her throat, now getting under the covers, her eyes staring up at the ceiling, "I don't know."

She feels his weight on the bed as he gets under the sheets with her, "Not used to sleeping with someone?"

She is trying extra hard not to let the smell of his clean body overwhelm her senses, "I sleep with ghosts all the time." she says as she watches the fan above them.

Grissom lays on his right side, now watching her, "Do you want to talk about them?"

She raises an eyebrow, turning her face so that now her left cheek is pressed into the pillow, "You need sleep."

He smiles softly at her,"I'm wide awake right now."

She takes in a long breath, letting it flutter throughout her body, "Isn't that what Alice is for?"

Now propped up on his elbow, he stares down at her, "That doesn't mean that we can't talk.

Sara stares up at him, suddenly feeling more alone than ever. He is right there next to her and she still can't have him.

She looks back up at the fan, her arms now protectively crossed and snug against her chest, "I think you already have met most of my ghosts."

Grissom moves closer to her almost causing Sara to hyperventilate, his hand sliding across her bare arm, down to her hand. He slides his fingers inbetween her own, "Tell me."

She mets his gaze, her heart pounding so hard in her chest now, that she feels she may faint. Gently, she moves her arms down a bit so that now they rest on her taunt stomach, his hand still holding tightly to her own.

She knows this can't really be happening. Does he not truly realize how he effects her?

She clears her throat, "I don't know, Grissom." she says quietly, her eyes still locked with his, "I don't think I can right now."

She pulls her gaze from his, her eyes now back on the fan whirring above their heads. She feels him shift and then, suddenly he is even closer to her. His heat branding the left side of her body, his hand now even tighter on her own, "Tell me about your dad."

Her eyes shift back to his, an alarmed look on her pale face, "I don't think you want to meet that ghost."

He raises an eyebrow, "Why?"

She finds herself pushing her body closer to Grissom as if her father is at her side of the bed getting ready to hurt her. Quickly she looks away from Grissom almost as if to make sure the room is still empty, "I just..."

"Sara." he says softly as his hand loosens and then tightens on her own, "Just tell me without even thinking about it."

She looks confused for a moment as his words sink in, "I don't..."

His hand slides away, only to come up and gently turn her face back to him, their eyes locking, "Tell me."

She feels the heat of his fingers against her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek.

Suddenly she pushes away from him, throwing her legs over the side of the bed, she sits up, "I can't Grissom." she begins to sob softly, her shoulders shaking.

She doesn't know if she is crying about old hurts or crying because of Grissom being so close, yet so far away.

She feels him behind her, pulling her into his warm embrace, "It's okay."


	10. Suited Against Him

Sara shifts under the weight of the large, leatherbond book that is lying across the expanse of her knees. She is just finishing up another of Poe's poems, when she hears a key in the lock on the front door. She stares hard at the doorknob, quietly willing herself to grab a weapon.

Someone is coming into the house. She looks at the clock on the mantle again, "It's too early for Grissom." she whispers to herself as she pushes the book from her lap, careful not to let it drop to the floor.

She moves silently into the kitchen, grabbing a sharp, thick knife.

She stands against the kitchen wall, her ears listening for footfalls.

The intruder is coming her way.

She grasps harder to the handle of the knife, her hands shaking slightly as she gets ready to strike.

She lifts the knife just as the figure comes around the corner.

Both of them jumping back in surprise.

Grissom quick to take the knife from her grasp.

Sara lets out a stiffled cry of surprise and relief, "What in God's name are you doing home so early?" she almost falls back away from him, "You scared me to death."

He brushes past her, sliding his left hand down her arm, causing her an array of misshapen goosebumps to appear on her flesh, "I'm sorry." he says softly, "I thought you were sleeping."

"What are you doing home so early?" she says as she moves away from him.

He turns, guiding her into the den, "I have something I need you to help me with."

She watches him pull a black rubber suit out of a large box, "What is that?" she tries to figure it out. It looks like a scuba suit, but something about it is different.

"Sex suit." he says as he lifts his eyes to her eyes, "I think our killer used this with you."

Sara blushes lightly as she gets a better view of the box the item was enclosed in, "Are you kidding?" she asks as she reads some of the uses for the suit.

"No." he says, "The rubber we found in the watch, matches the rubber of this suit."

Sara lets out a nervous laugh, "People have sex in that?" she says as she shakes her head, "Is there anything that people won't do or try?"

Grissom unzips the suit and lays it on the couch, "I need you in your underwear, my dear."

Sara cracks another nervous smile, "You're kidding, right?"

She can't imagine being pressed against Grissom for any amount of time. At night, in bed, it is fine because she always has clothes on, but this will be skin on skin.

She watches Grissom for a moment, wondering if this embarrasses him at all. Judging from the look on his face; a blank look as usual, she figures he doesn't really feel anything. This is just work to him.

"Think of it as a bathing suit." he says softly as he brushes past her. "I'll be waiting."

Sara goes into the guest bedroom, her eyes on her suitcase. She opens it. Peering inside she shakes her head lightly, a smile on her lips, "Everything is in the wash except my naughtiest looking pair." she whispers as she again shakes her head in amusement at the outcome of her situation, "I guess he'll now know the secret in Victoria's Secret."

She undresses quietly, cursing herself for not getting her clothing in the washer quicker.

Standing in front of the long mirror on the door, she sucks in a long breath. She looks good. Damn good. A bit too good.

The lace bra isn't too bad; it's the panties she is worried about. They are lace all the way down the front, which, if really concentrating on her crotch, you could actually make out something of her intimate area. But, she reasons, unless he is superman, he won't really see too much of anything.

She steps out into the den.

"In here." he says from the bedroom.

She see's him standing in front of the bed, the suit already on his frame.

Sara clasps her hands over her panties as she enters the room. She feels cold and totally exposed to him, "Where do you want me?"

She feels alarmingly nervous as he turns to look at her, "Lay on your stomach in front of me on the bed."

She walks over to the bed, "Alright." she says as she nudges her bare thighs against the comforter of the bed, "Like this?" she lays down on her tummy, her right cheek pressed into the softness of the cover, "Is this okay?"

"Fine." he says from above her, "Now," he leans down, his fingers brushing past the skin of her shoulders, "I need you to try to relax."

Sara almost smiles, but holds back.

Relaxing is the last thing she has on her mind.

Her anxiety levels are soaring as she feels his warm hands grasping her shoulders, "I believe you were totally out of it by now. So he would have had to put you in the suit with him."

She feels his hands leave her shoulders, suddenly grasping gently to her left thigh. Strong, but gentle heat against the flesh of her leg.

She lets out a soft whimper as he lifts her leg, "You okay?" he asks as she takes in deep, comforting breath of the fragrant cover below her face.

"Sure." she says as his right hand snakes its way up under her taunt stomach, causing an electrical fire to ignite in her core.

Again, she almost whimpers from the intimacy of the touch. His hand is unbearably hot against her bare flesh, his fingers just above the waistband of her underwear.

She immediately tenses up.

"Relax." he whispers.

She shivers from the closeness of his breath against her ear.

She feels him pulling her up against him, her backside now pressing into his boxer shorts as he lifts her left leg and pushes it down into the suit with his left leg.

Her foot slides down his hairy leg, meeting with his foot at the bottom. She tries not to let all her weight balance on the top of his foot.

"You're resisting." he says as he slides his hand down the front of her smooth thigh, "Relax."

The feel of his hand on her thigh is almost too much for Sara. She knows he is only straightening her leg against his own, but the feeling is unimaginable and she can't help but shiver uncontrollably.

She feels his left hand move to replace his right on her stomach, his right hand now lifting her other leg into the suit. Now she is pressed against him, his strong chest warm and hairy against her back.

And she can smell him. She can smell all of him. It's a mixture of the lab, the cold air outside and him. A clean smell she knows all to well.

The feel of him. The scent of him. She is about to go mad.

"Sara," it's a tiny breath against her left ear,"you have to relax honey."

She feels him pulling her left arm into the suit and then he is reaching across her for her right arm, his face pressed warmly against her own. She relishes the touch of his scratchy cheek against her cheek; just another fact not helping her libido.

"Drop your head to my shoulder." he says softly, his words slipping in soft warmth across her lips.

She lays her head back, pressing her forehead into his heated neck, "I'm not very good at relaxing." she says as he pushes her left arm into the suit.

"I know." he says, now zipping up the suit.

Sara almost gasps at how tight it is against her, pinning her to Grissom.

She can now feel every part of his warm body. The thump of his heart against her left shoulder. The pulse in his neck throbbing warmly against her forehead

She can tell from his heartbeat that he isn't feeling all of this the way she is feeling it. His heartbeat is slow and comforting to her. Maybe if she just pays attention to the slow drum of it against her back, she can finally let the tension fall out of her limbs.

Her heart, however, is thudding loudly in her chest. She is sure Grissom will hear or feel it.

She leaves her head still pressed against his shoulder, "You okay?" he asks again, his warm breath on her throat.

"Fine." she lies as he takes a step, her feet pressed into his feet.

"Sara." he says softly.

"I know," she says desperately, "I really am trying to relax."


End file.
